Electric socket switch



. 14 1927. y l 632174 June w. F. coNKLlN Y ELECTRIC socxT SWITCH Filed sept. 2o, 1921 A 6 Y ll?" JZZ Z3 l 3 ,l Z7 Z7 30 u /0/ Z .9

Patented June 14, 1927.

. `UNITED ASTATES* PATENT y OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. coNKL1N,Vor` TARENTUM, rENNsYLvANIA.

ELECTRIC SOCKET SWITCH.

Application led September 20, 1921.v Serial No. 502,021.

My invention consists of an improvement in detachable electric socket switches, and has for its object to provide a socketand stem combination switch, by which the stem or shank of the circuit openingand closing member may be easily inserted or removed or fixedly held within the receiving socket.

It comprises a special socket construction embodying an insertion or clearance opening for the locking and circuit closing lugs of a conductingkey boltor stem, registering sockets therefor embodying circuit termiV sition for establishing circuit therethrough" to an outer terminal for any current utiliz` ing device, as a lamp or the like, and constructed and adapted to operate in the manner more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, illustrating one preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. l is a longitudinal central section through an electric vsocketswitch, showing the same in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a detached `view in elevation of the central removable sternk or plug;

Figs. 3, ll, 5 and 6 are sectional views on the lines III-III, IV-IV, V-V, and VI-VI respectively of- Fig. l; Y

Fig. 7 is a detached perspective detail view of one of the lug-engaging and locking contacting terminals;

Fig. 8 is a detail view in elevation of one of the conducting sides of the removable stem; Y

Fig. 9 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 10 is a perspective detail view of the insulating bushing for the socket;

Fig. 11 is a detail view showing the mounting of one of the contact terminals in the insulating block providing the lug engaging socket; and

Fig. l2 is a sectional detail view showing a modified eonstructionof stem adapted for the opening and closing of a circuit through the socketin the manner of aswitch,

`The de'vicemas a whole is designed to be mounted upon a wall or incorporated therewith, or in any other suitable location and in electrical connection with a source of current, so that it may be utilized at any of several predetermined locations, for the purpose Vof connecting and disconnecting, by the insertible stem or plug, with a lamp, electric heater, cooker, iron, or any of the various current utilizing elements in common use, whereby to enable the user to make i' easy and convenient current connection at or adjacent to the point of use of the current.

To this end; I provide a socket member A and a removable plug or stem member B, the latter being capable of insertion centr ally of the former and therein held'` in locked position during the period of current consumption. Socket member A is composed lof an outer housing or casing 2 havingY terminal flanges 3,'whereby the rsocket maybe fixedly secured in position by screws or otherwise, as upon the studding or supporting framework of a wall or the like. It is` of generally cylindrical form and may be embedded in a wall with its outer end portion flush therewith so as to occupy a minimum f ofspace and remain inconspicuous or in anyA way interfere with the wall surface.

Within the casing 2 are mounted insulating block members 4 and 5 respectively which are held in position by longitudinally extending bolts or screws 6 6 tapped into a rear terminal washer bearing 7, of steel orv other suitable material. Washer 7 is in flanged engagement with the inner portion of insulating block 4 and preferably flush therewith at its inner end, providing a flush attaching surface for the socket member and ixedly holding the several parts in operative position. vOuter insulating block 5 is provided with a central oblong opening 8 within which extends the shell 9 forming an interlittinginsulating bushing having alateral flange 10 4extending between the insulating blocks 4 and 5.

Fixedly secured in receiving sockets of block 5 and held in place by the flange 10, are the two oppositely located contact blocks 11 each preferably provided with a sloping contact `face 12 for engagement with the contact lug 13 of the central stem of the removable plug member B. -Insulating block 5 has*- an oppositely sloping face 32 providingbetweenit and the taperedl face `l2 A of Contact block 1 1l an inwardly tapering socket adapted to receive the double contact lugs 13 to ensure continued contact under the spring pressure hereinafter described. Blocks 111 are in electrical -connection by screws 14 and wires 15, one at each side, with a generator or other source of current.

The plug` member B, asshown in the principal views of thedr-awings, is a compound member formed of individual conducting strips 16 each'provid-ed with the extended contact lug member 13 and having an outer terminal enlargement 17 for fixed connection with the attaching terminal shell member 18. The latter member is preferably circular in form, embracingl the semi-circular terminals 17 of the compound conduct-- ing stem members, with an intervening insulating cap or shell 19.V Terminal member 18 is connected with the terminal 17 by screws 2O extending through its shell `and insulation 19 and an additional insulating disk 21 on the inner face thereof, being held in position by nuts 22, as shown.

`Lead wires 23-23 are connected at each side with the individual conducting members 16 of the compound plug by binding screws 241 and the shell 18 is provided with an extended threaded terminal 25 for connection with a lamp socket, chandelier, or any other utilizing element, as will be readily understood.

Conducting members 16. of the compound plug are insulated from each other by an intervening strip 26 of fibre or the like, and the outer surfaces of the plug are further insulated by libre or other casings 27 and 28, which completely embrace them at all points except where the contact lug members 13 extend, which alone are exposed.

The inner portion of the socket member A is provided with a dielectric bushing 29 providing a lining for the inner central portion of washer 7 and secured thereto in any suitable way, which bushing forms a central. cylindrical bearing for the inner end of the compound plug member. Between bushing 29 and a resisting washer 30 is interposed a compressible spiral spring 31, adapted to press the compound plug member outwardly after insertion through slot 8 and beyond the flange 10, the plug then being partially rotated, so to` bring the contact lugs 13 at each diagonally opposite side into inter- Fitting register and electrical engagement with the co-acting terminal contact members 11 and faces 12 thereof, and the opposing taf. pered faces 32 ofinsulating block 5.

The relative positions of the contact ine-nr bers 13 and blocks 11 are clearly shown in Figs. l and` 11, closing the circuit. To open the. circuit,v the4 compound plug member is thrust inwardly against spring pressure sufficiently far to bring the lContact lugs -13 flange 10, away from faces `12,'so that the plug may be reversely rotated one-quarter way around, at the same time pressing spring 31., by engagement ofthe lugs against washer 30, so that the plug may then be withdrawn, the lugs 13 passing outwardly through slotted opening 8.

`Upon inserting the plug, partially rotating it, and then relieving pressure, the spring will re-act and thrust the stem outwardly, bringing the tapering faces of lugs 13 into` binding engagement with faces 12, and also with diagonally opposite tapering faces 32 of the insulating block 5. By this means, the spring action ensures tight engagement between rthe conducting elements and fixedly holds the plug in closed circuit position, until it is desired to remove it, as described. The spring 31 will act to seat washer 30 against the inner end of flange 10, when the socket is inactive, ready for reinsertion of the plug when again used, in the same manneras above described.

If desired, the central plug may be utilized to merely close the circuit across the socket A by making it of a single central conducting stem 16, with laterally extendingy lugs 13, as shown in Fig. 12, in which case the plug will op-e-rate to close the circuitacross the terminal members 12 instead of providing for carrying it outwardly through t-he individual insulated conducting members 16 of the compound plug.

The construction and operation of the inventionvwill be readily understood `and appreciated from the foregoing description. It. provides easy and convenient means for installing and readily removing electric lamps or other forms of electric fixtures or current consuming devices, without clistiirbingtlie wiring and without the use of tools. Any electrical fixture or device may thus be moved from one socket to another without leaving any exposed wiring; fixtures may be taken down from the side walls or ceilings of buildings, or for the purpose of cleaning, papering, or painting, and then immediately replaced without disturbing any of the connections.

The invention may be variously changed or modified in different details by the skilled mecha-nieto adapt it to various local or other conditions of use, but all such changes are to be understood as included within'the scope of the following; claims.

That I cla-im is.:

1. Inj an electric socket switch, an insnlat ing` body portion having an outer casing and an' inner block provided with a slotted opening 'extending endwise therethrough and having at its inner end laterally arranged sockets.: Contact members forming portions of said sockets. and having current supply connections, an insulating -shell withinwardly beyond the inner edge portion of in the slotted opening providing an insertion space opening through the'end of the casing and having an inner flange, a depressible Washer plate adapted to bear against the flange, a spring bearing by one end against said Washer plate and by itsV other end against an abutment Within the casing, a rotatable insertible plug having lateral contacting extensions adapted to engage the Washer plate, substantially as shown and described.

2. A separable connector for electric conductors comprising a. socket member and a plug member, said socket member comprising a casing, an insulating sleeve in the casing which is substantially rectangular in cross section and is flanged at its inner end, both ends of the sleeve, through which is a substantially rectangular opening, being open, the front of the sleeve terminating substantially flush with the front of the casing, the flange being disposed intermediate the ends of the casing, insulating bushings in the casing for holding the sleeve in place, a circular chamber atthe rear of the flange, said sleeve having openings cut in the flange and longer sides of the sleeve, Contact members in juxtaposition to theopenings and outside the sleeve, the plug having a central pin with transverse contacting extensions slidable in the sleeve when turned to the proper position, said chamber at the rear of the plunger enabling the plug to be turned when inserted in the sleeve to its fullest extent so as to enter said openings and engage the Contact members, and means for yieldably urging the plugbmember outwardly and thereby hold the contacting extensions in sleeve engagementrvvith the contact members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my si gnature.

WILLIAM F. CONKLIN. 

